The USA Racquetball (USAR) National Championships are underway in Des Moines, Iowa beginning on Wednesday, July 14 and running through Sunday July 18. The junior competition began on Wednesday, and the National Team Divisions will begin on Thursday with a few early round matches with the top seeds in action on Friday.
The big news is that the 2020 champions in Men’s Doubles are now not in the draw. Alejandro Landa and Sudsy Monchik won last year, and they were entered as of the weekend, but now Monchik is not there. Landa is competing in Men’s Singles, hoping to make Team USA for the first time since he changed allegiance from Mexico.
Monchik’s absence makes Rocky Carson and Charlie Pratt the top seeds in Men’s Doubles, so that increases the odds that Carson will make Team USA from what we’d thought earlier. He’s also the top seed in Men’s Singles with Landa as the 2nd seed.
On the women’s side, Erika Manilla is the top seed in Women’s Singles with Rhonda Rajsich as the 2nd seed. Manilla and Rajsich are the top seeds in Women’s Doubles with Hollie Scott and Kelani Lawrence 2nd seeds. Rajsich, like Carson, is trying to keep her Team USA streak going.
Junior play
We’ll talk more about the juniors as they get further in the competition, but one thing to note is the size of the draws. They’re a little down from a normal year, which isn’t surprising. But the largest draw is Boy’s U18 (with 17 players), and usually it’s Boy’s U16 (which has 14 players this year). There are seven players in Boy’s U14.
The turnout for girls has double digits in both U18 (10 players) and U16 (14 players) with seven players in Girl’s U14.
Watch the action
USAR will be streaming matches from Des Moines via their USA Racquetball Livestream channel. So check that out! The Junior Championships are underway in Des Moines also.
2021 USA Racquetball National Championships
Des Moines, Iowa
US National Team Divisions
Men's US Team Singles - Round of 16 - Thursday
1) Rocky Carson - BYE
8) Blake Hansen v. 9) Carson Marshall - 5 PM
5) Charlie Pratt v. 12) John Goth - 3 PM
4) Thomas Carter - BYE
3) Jake Bredenbeck - BYE
6) Maurice Miller v. 11) Alex Zamudio
7) Sam Bredenbeck v. 10) Charles Rankin
2) Alejandro Landa - BYE
Men's US Team Singles - Semi-finals - Friday
1) Rocky Carson & Charlie Pratt v. 4) John Goth & Blake Hansen - 7 PM
2) Jake Bredenbeck & Sam Bredenbeck v. 3) Maurice Miller & Troy Warigon - 5 PM
Women's US Team Singles - Round of 16 - Thursday
1) Erika Manilla - BYE
8) Annie Roberts v. 9) Jessica Chen - 11 AM
5) Linda Tyler - BYE
4) Kelani Bailey Lawrence - BYE
3) Hollie Scott - BYE
6) Lexi York - BYE
7) Graci Wargo d. 10) Stephanie Synhorst - forfeit
2) Rhonda Rajsich - BYE
Women's US Team Doubles - Quarterfinals - Thursday
1) Erika Manilla & Rhonda Rajsich - BYE
4) Linda Tyler & Lexi York v. 5) Jessica Chen & Graci Wargo - 5 PM
3) Michelle De La Rosa & Sheryl Lotts - BYE
2) Hollie Scott & Kelani Lawrence - BYE
Follow the bouncing ball....
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